A pretty day on the road

I drove 640 miles today, using nearly all of my 11 driving hours. That’s a record for me! I feel kind of macho. Just kind of. :) I took a half hour nap around 6am, a short potty break around 10 and another half hour somewhere around 1:30pm. Now Adam’s driving and I’m sitting back in the passenger seat enjoying the Montana countryside and snow-speckled mountains off on the horizon. It is an absolutely beautiful day.

I was so tired during my first break that I just slept, but on my second break I found a little hiking trail up the hill behind the restrooms at the rest area. I hiked up and inhaled the sweet aroma of mountain pines and sage. I just love that combination! There were also flowers to enjoy, and even a small cactus! There were signs warning me to watch for rattlers, but unfortunately I didn’t get to see any today.

Flowers!

When we stopped to switch shifts I found a great set of stairs to run up and down a few times, and took a fun mirror photo of me and Adam with the blue sky dominating the background.

A fun mirror photo.

Now I’m relaxing, preparing my mind for sleep, watching amazing Montana fly by outside the passenger window. I keep staring off into those mountains wishing I was up there – sweating and freezing at the same time – crunching my feet through the bits of snow that’s left, scooping water from fresh, cold, snowmelt streams while looking for a flat spot to camp for the night. Ahhh, the hiking bug is not temporary in me. It completely permeates my entire being and keeps me dreaming and scheming all the time.

Montana! You're being too pretty! I can't take it much longer!

But really… this is a pretty sweet deal I have at this present moment, too. I’ve got Adam next to me, we’re both in a super-good mood, sharing these experiences together, and again… it’s a warm, perfectly pretty day!

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Tonight I love the blue sky. It’s such a happy-maker.

A new sticker for our truck!

My and Adam's first truck stop meal as a team - popovers at a Norwegian restaurant in Menomonie, WI. Yum!

That’s a PCT shirt in the last pic huh? I just finished my section hike on the PCT from Kennedy Meadows to Tehachapi Pass. I gave trail magic to 279 thru hikers on the way like I did to you last year. When I was at Kelso Valley Road I flipped randomly through the trail register and opened it to a page and there it was…6/5 – Toots McGoots! I took a picture but I don’t think I can get it to you here. It was fun to see. :-)